Longtime Brevard library chief was visionary

Catherine Caliva Schweinsberg Rood was a visionary as the longtime head of Brevard County's library system, overseeing the system's entry into the internet age. And she also was a community leader, working tirelessly on a number of volunteer organizations.

"This is a woman who knows where she is going and what she wants," said her husband, architect Jack Rood.

And, in recent years, Cathy Rood, a resident of Cocoa Beach, fought hard against cancer, dating back to 2002.

She died Sept. 29 at age 66 at Hospice of Health First due to complications associated with liver cancer.

Her life will be celebrated at a memorial service scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at Advent Lutheran Church, 7550 N. Wickham Road, Suntree.

Rood retired in 2012 after 32 years of service to Brevard County, including 14 as library services director.

“She dramatically improved Brevard County Library Services during her tenure," current Brevard County Library Services Director Jeff Thompson in a statement issued by the county.

Under Rood's tenure, "Brevard County libraries matured into a unified, full-service library system that provided service to patrons from Micco to Mims,” said Thompson, who became Brevard library services director when Rood retired in September 2012. “She led the Library System through some tough economic times, but we not only witnessed how strong she was for the library system and the burdens she carried for us, but also in her personal life. Never one to complain, we watched Cathy fight and vanquish life-threatening illness. Through that experience, she taught us all something about courage, steadfastness and kindness.”

Brevard County Manager Stockton Whitten, noted that, when he began working for the county in 1994, "there were some really special people who made me feel at home. There was a lady who was always nice to me from Day 1, and that was Cathy Schweinsberg."

Theresa Abruzzo-Price of Rockledge says she was friends with Rood for 30 years, since the time their daughters took dance lessons together. Rood and Abruzzo-Price also volunteered together in the community, including with the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life events in Rockledge and Project Graduation at Rockledge High.

"We just formed a bond, and stayed together through the years," Abruzzo-Price said. "She has the most giving heart that anyone could have. She gave it her all — 150 percent."

Rood served on the board of directors of many organizations, including Advent Lutheran Church, Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse and Rockledge High Project Graduation.

"She was a cancer survivor for 14 years," but many of her acquaintances were not aware of it, Jack Rood said. "She wasn't going to go around having people feeling sorry for her."

He said he had known Cathy for many years before they began dating in 2009 and married in 2012. They initially met in the mid-1980s, when she was director of the Cocoa Public Library and he was designing the library's new complex there. They jointly agreed on a vision for the facility that is now Brevard County's Central Brevard Library & Reference Center on Forrest Avenue.

They later were both active in the Rotary Club of Cocoa, where she became its first female president.

Cathy Rood began her career with the county library system in March 1980 as a children’s specialist. She was promoted to head of technical services and assistant to the library coordinator. By 1982, she was head of the reference department  at the Melbourne Public Library. In 1983, Rood was promoted to director of the Cocoa Public Library, followed by another promotion in 1988 to library operations manager, overseeing the operations of all libraries in Brevard County.

She led the effort to create uniform policies and procedures for the library system, and to integrate new technology, implementing the first online card catalog in 1990, and overseeing construction of four new libraries.

Rood was named interim library director in October 1998, and received the position on a permanent basis in March 1999, leading a system of 17 public libraries.

When she announced her pending retirement in 2012, then-Brevard County Manager Howard Tipton said Rood led the library system through a challenging time of transitioning to new technology, including the advent of downloadable "e-books" and growing internet use, as well as through tight budget years.

"Thanks to her leadership and dedication, the Brevard County library system is emerging stronger than ever," Tipton said.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you contact your favorite Brevard County library to purchase a book for the library and inscribe it “in memory of Catherine Caliva Schweinsberg Rood.”  Or you can make a donation in her memory to the American Cancer Society.

Contact Berman at 321-242-3649 or dberman@floridatoday. com, on Twitter at @bydaveberman and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dave.berman.54